Car emission testing

A Government proposal to introduce (in late 2006) an emission test as part of the warrant of fitness, has been ditched.

Instead, the programme seems likely be replaced with a visual test for excess smoke as part of the WOF and COF checks, based on the current 10-second smoky vehicle rule. This rule states it is an offence for a vehicle to produce excess visible exhaust smoke for more than 10 seconds.

Initial estimates suggested the cost to motorists of the proposed test would have been between $4 and $10 but more recent estimates suggest it would cost between $35 and $60 per test – adding up to $180 million to the public's annual motoring costs.